The dollar surged to its highest level in over five months this week, impacting the broader cryptocurrency market as robust retail sales and inflation data led traders to rethink the possibility of early U.S. interest rate cuts.
In the last 24 hours, Bitcoin experienced a 4.2% decline, dropping to $63,118.5 by 08:35 ET (12:35 GMT). Traders predominantly favored traditional safe havens like the dollar and gold amid the prevailing market conditions.
Despite the approval of spot crypto exchange-traded funds by Hong Kong regulators on Monday, subdued risk appetite took precedence.
The regulatory nod in Hong Kong provides an avenue for investors in Hong Kong and China to gain exposure to crypto markets, following the 2021 ban on cryptocurrencies in mainland China due to concerns about gambling and market manipulation. While three ETF providers obtained approval for these products, they have yet to introduce them to the market.
The impact of the Hong Kong ETFs on Bitcoin’s performance remains uncertain, especially in comparison to the surge witnessed in U.S. markets earlier this year following the approval of spot U.S. ETFs. Although there was a significant rally in the leading cryptocurrency over the past two months, the pace of capital inflows has slowed as market enthusiasm waned.
On Tuesday, the broader cryptocurrency market experienced a downturn, influenced by weak risk sentiment stemming from tensions between Iran and Israel, alongside expectations of prolonged elevated U.S. interest rates.
Ethereum saw a 4.7% decline, settling at $3,080.26, while XRP and Solana registered losses of 3.9% and 10.8% respectively.
Over the weekend, cryptocurrency prices faced a sudden drop triggered by an Iranian strike on Israel, though they partially recovered as reports indicated minimal damage from the incident. Recent developments suggest that Israel is contemplating a response to the attack.
The dollar’s rally to a five-month peak, fueled by stronger-than-anticipated U.S. retail sales figures, coupled with anticipation surrounding an upcoming speech by Fed Chair Jerome Powell, heightened market uncertainty.
Amid the prevailing risk-averse environment, traders exhibited caution towards speculative assets like cryptocurrencies.
Data from CoinShares revealed outflows from crypto investment products in the past week, reflecting the subdued market sentiment.
Despite the focus on the assets under management of Bitcoin ETFs, brokerage firm Canaccord Genuity highlighted the growing demand for the underlying cryptocurrency facilitated by these funds. The firm emphasized this point during its 2024 Digital Assets Symposium, where representatives from 29 crypto-related companies convened.
According to Canaccord Genuity, the multiplier effect from ETFs is driving increased demand for spot Bitcoin among institutional and retail investors, who perceive the underlying asset as more attractive for hedging and yield generation as the crypto market evolves.